


He feels so damn guilty - Jopper OS

by leiaesthetic



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Lonnie Byers Being an Asshole
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-10-11 11:23:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20545343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leiaesthetic/pseuds/leiaesthetic
Summary: When Hopper needs to arrest Lonnie Byers and takes a look into his criminal record, he finds proof to suspicions he had about Lonnie’s and Joyce’s marriage but chose to ignore them back in the time. But now, as the search for Will had brought him and Joyce closer together again, he just feels the need to apologize for not acting against it





	He feels so damn guilty - Jopper OS

Chief Jim Hopper was on his way home, 2 packages Eggo waffles in tow for his adoptive daughter Eleven. That kid didn't seem to get enough the frozen waffles and secretly Hopper didn't either. ( To Flo's discontent, he already got her on his back about him only eating Donuts for breakfast at the station) But just as he was about to pull into the driveway of the cabin he and El were living in, Callahan who had the nightshift today called in on the radio:" Hey Chief, I know you're already on your way home or on the way to a... date... or something, but Chrissy from the Hideaway called in. Lonnie Byers is there and making some trouble, started a brawl with two other guys and they're thrashing the whole place. It'd be better if you handled this." Hopper sighed. Lonnie Byers, what was he even doing in Hawkins? Shouldn't he be in Indianapolis screwing his barely- of-legal-age-fling-of-the-week? (Not that he was the one to judge but his own One- night-stands were at least over 30). He started the engine of his police truck once again and drove through the dark woods back into the city centre of Hawkins. He parked in front of the bar and when he got out of his car, he could already see the damage the probably drunk men had done and their audible shouting and punching was indicating the fight wasn't over yet. When he came in, he took a deep breath before trying to separate Lonnie Byers from George Burness and another man he didn't recognize. He was trying to stay out of the direct punchline of Byers but failed and flinched when a fist hit him hard in the nose. It was Lonnie, of course it was him. The other two men had stopped the fighting as soon as he had stepped in but Lonnie, he just couldn't seem to stop. He wiped his bloody nose and then went at Lonnie, crossing the man’s arms behind his back and handcuffing him before he could try and resist. The other two were near to pass out on the floor and Chrissy, the bartender just stood in the back, arms akimbo shaking her head. "you alright? I call the other deputy to take these 2 home." Jim said to her, still holding Lonnie who was trying to escape the chiefs strong grip. "Nah, don't ya worry 'bout me Chief, I got this, I'll simply call Burness' mother and she'll pick 'em up. Just lock the Crazy One away. Lonnie Byers, I always knew he was gonna loose his mind someday." Hopper simply nodded pushing Lonnie out of the bar in front of him and into the Police truck. He roughly pushed him onto the passenger's seat and radios Callahan at the station to have the cell prepared. Lonnie hadn't said a word to him until now. " How come you still Chief, Jimmy? After that disaster with my son. I found out he's alive by television. Joyce didn't even bother to call me." He slurred. "Hah, like you would've cared." Hopper scoffed. "How do you know about what I care and about what I don't?" Lonnie still slurred. Having a conversation with a drunk piece of shit like Lonnie Byers was senseless and Hopper just gave up on it. " Wanna know why I came back here? I wanted to ask Joyce what her fucking problem is. She isn't answering my calls. And when I came by today she shut the door right in my face. How dare her." Lonnie was making zero sense (as if that were news). "Yeah because she divorced you and you're an asshole, why should she wanna talk to you after what you did?" Hopper had to suppress a smile thinking of Joyce slamming the door at Lonnie. The rest of the drive was silent and at the station he brought Lonnie right to the cell. "Have a good night's sleep, scumbag. Tomorrow you're going back to the city." He turned around and sighed because now the fun part was over (It always had been his dream to get to arrest that piece of shit Lonnie, especially after what happened to Will.). But now he had to write a report about what had happened at the bar. Police paperwork was a son of a bitch. He reached El by radio, telling her to not wait up on him as he would get home late. Of course El immediately got worried. "Trouble, Hop?" she had asked with a concerned tone in her voice. "No just someone stupid doing stupid things and I had to lock him up. Not dangerous, go to bed, I bought Eggos for breakfast tomorrow." He reassured her and she signed off after Jim wished her a good night. He went to the shelf, looking for Lonnie’s file and hell that man's criminal record list was longer than he thought. Simply out of curiosity he looked through it, violence, driving while being drunk, assault of a police officer... just the typical stuff, but at on page he startled. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (Suspicion). No. That couldn't be, not Joyce. But the pictures were clear, bruised arms and a long cut at from her temple to her chin. He was boiling with rage but managed to remain seated and look at the date of the report: 25th April 1980. He was already back in Hawkins at that time, how did he not know about this? Somewhere in the back of his mind he made a connection from the date to the words mandatory sheriff conference and Springfield but that didn't matter because he should've been there. He should've beat the shit out of Lonnie and locked him up for good. He should've noticed. The he remembered that he did indeed notice but at that time just didn't care. He had met Joyce at Bradley's big buy the next day, (He had run out of beer so he had to get it together and go buy some). He simply wanted to say "Hi" but then he noticed the bruises on her arm. Before he could ask a question about it, Joyce answered: " I tried to get something from top of the cupboard and fell off the ladder." that's what she had said it didn't even sound a bit convincing but Jim didn't bother to ask any further questions. So they both just moved to opposite directions, trying to get all the things they were looking for. And when he saw her again, while getting into his car on the parking lot and she trying to stuff her groceries into her car, he had jut looked away. WHY? That's what he asked himself now. Of course he didn't believe her back then but, why didn't he act. Maybe he thought that he shouldn't interfere, it was none of his business. But mostly he was hurt that she had pushed him away all this time back when they all were in Highschool together. Joyce had chosen Lonnie fucking Byers over him and he was still hurt about that. He could've sworn her that something like this would happen if she married Lonnie. But this wasn't a told-you-so situation. So instead he just did nothing, and he forgot about it. But now, as he was sitting at his desk staring at Joyce's bruised arms, it felt like a punch in the face. Heavy guilt creeping in. His next move wasn't controlled by his brain, he took the phone and dialed Joyce’s number (why did he know it by heart anyways?). It was already 10 PM but she picked up. " Hi Joyce this is Jim. I’m calling because... (Yeah why was he even calling her?) you know. Can I just come over? I need to talk to you about something?" he asked her and she agreed, after asking him if everything was okay, which he only half-heartedly affirmed. So he found himself driving over to Joyce Byers house to apologize for something that wasn't even his fault but he kinda felt like it was. When he got there, Joyce was waiting outside the house, greeting him friendly but still a bit confused about the reason of his visit. He sat down next to her and explained everything that had happened this evening to her and how he looked into Lonnie’s file.t "So, long story short, I know what he did to you and I just wanted to say sorry for not helping you out. I just was an ignorant dick and I was being so damn egoistic but I can't imagine what you had to go through with that man. I should've been there, I should've done something sooner. Can you forgive me?" he said, she wasn't even mad at him but he just needed to hear the words "I forgive you" from her mouth because he felt so damn guilty. "Of course Jim, it's long gone and besides you had nothing to do with it. I filed for divorce 1 month after." Joyce said still a bit confused but also amazed by the fact that Jim Hopper came over to her house just to apologize because her shitty ex-husband hit her in the past.I t was so.. nice. No it was more than nice it was... cute how concerned he seemed to be about her ever since... Probably ever since she first got to know him. "So that's all you wanted to say, or?" She asked, somehow hoping that there was more to it. "Yes and I promise I'll do whatever it takes to put Lonnie behind bars for a while, because he should never ever again come to your house or talk to you and your sons. A man who dares to raise a hand to such a wonderful, loving, beautiful, kind person like you... he should go to hell." The words just bubbled out of him, he wasn't able to think straight when he was with her. At first she was shocked (in a positive way) at his words but then after they stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, she put her hand on his neck and found the courage to kiss him after all these years in which she wanted to do this so badly because she knew all along that in Highschool, she made the wrong decision. It felt like everything both of them ever needed to feel whole again, came back to them in this very moment. When they broke apart for a second, Joyce said: "James Hopper you're a wonderful person and I love you." He still held her gaze and cupped her face. "I love you, too."


End file.
